Animal shelters in DeKalb and Fulton counties are scrambling to find good homes for dogs and cats amid an influx of summer drop-offs, Channel 2 Action News reported.
At the DeKalb County Animal Shelter, volunteers say they’ve received so many pets in recent weeks that they have reached their no-kill limit.
Every space in the shelter is being used, with some dogs living two to a kennel. In neighboring Fulton, there are as many as four dogs in some cages, according to Channel 2.
In July, both shelters took in a record 1,800 animals, officials told the news station.
This is just a snapshot of the EXTREME over crowding we have in our shelters across the metro. I just spent the morning at DeKalb County animal shelter where pups are 2 two a kennel. But in Fulton, they’re double, triple that. At 4, what needs to happen NOW to help these pups. pic.twitter.com/P7rUyAU5eX
— Lauren Pozen (@LaurenPozenSN1) September 4, 2019
Now, volunteers are concerned some of those animals may have to be put down if they aren’t adopted soon.
Karen Hirsch, who works with Lifeline Animal Project, said while it’s typical to see an uptick in the number of animals a shelter receives in the summer months, this level of overcrowding is “extreme.”
“We’ve been transporting dogs to no-kill shelters up north where they don’t have as much of a problem,” Hirsch said. “We don’t want to have to put healthy animals down, (but) that’s definitely an option when we don’t get help.”
Both shelters are searching for volunteers to temporarily foster the cats and dogs until they can find permanent homes.
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